"When did you first notice it?" Charlie's mom, Dr. Dean, asked. Setting down her tiny flashlight, she waited patiently for Skylar to answer.

"I don't really know when it started. I didn't notice it until you pointed it out, but now it's worse." Skylar emphasized her point by opening her green eye wider.

Dr. Dean gave her a comforting look. "Well the good news is, it's not anything bad. It's a condition known as heterochromia iridis. It can occur during infancy, but in some cases I've seen it develop during adolescent, and even adult, years. Sometimes after an injury to the eye. Have you hit your head recently?"

The two men in the alley came to the forefront of her mind. "Sort of," she revealed.

"Well, it could have something to do with it. I can prescribe you some eye drops, but it's really nothing to worry about. I think it makes you even more unique. Only one percent of the population have heterochromia." Dr. Dean crossed her arms, leaning back in her swivel chair.

"I guess if it's nothing to worry about..." she trailed off, hopping off the table. 

"Nothing at all," Dr. Den reassured her. "Oh, and anytime you or your parents need anything just let me know. Good friends make good neighbors." She smacked her gum, blowing out a small pink bubble.

"Thank you." And she meant it wholeheartedly.

-------

Monday loomed too closely for her liking. She had to spend all weekend working on her homework alone. Teresa was gone until Tuesday, and Charlie was not the ideal study buddy. Her idea of studying consisted of talking about Jet, fantasizing out loud about all the ways she would make Jared Leto scream, and sneaking alcohol from her parents cabinet.

It took her nearly seven hours, but she finally completed each menial task her teachers assigned. It was as if they didn't remember being in school with multiple classes to keep up with.

Mr. Collins had given her three pages of advanced calculus. He swore, to a whining class, that it was to keep it fresh in their minds over the weekend in time for a quiz. Science had no homework, thankfully, but her other classes quickly made up for that.

She had her final draft essay on the comparison of modern religions due by Monday morning. Her history teacher had made everyone review the chapter they'd been reading on their intro to world history. It took her hours to write every single vocabulary word and definition.

Health was simple. Her mom always had a passion for nutrition, and together they breezed through the single worksheet. By the time she'd finished her hand was cramping.

Charlie's picture flashed across her screen. "Hey," she answered.

"You have to come over, it's an emergency!" There was no room for an answer. She had already hung up before Skylar could fully process what had happened.

"Be right there," she grumbled to no one.

It was a short walk down to Charlie's. The November air was no better than her first October in Roman Ridge. The mist floating above the sidewalk was like a cloud, enveloping her in an icy embrace and dampening her lungs. When she reached her destination, Charlie was already at the door to drag her upstairs.

"Guess what!" She slammed her bedroom door shut.

"Wh-"

"Jet asked me out!" The words tumbled out like waves on rocks. There was no calming her. Charlie was in full blown manic joy mode.

"When? How did that even come about?"

Charlie took a breath and landed backwards on her bed in sheer bliss. "He called me. Just now," she squeaked. Rolling over, she grabbed a pillow and screamed into it.

Jake threw open the door. "What the hell is going on?" His eyes softened--no, sharpened--when he caught sight of Skylar.

She probably looked like she'd been hit by a truck. Her leggings were black and here and there a lint ball clung to her. She was wearing one of her dad's shirts knotted in the front and a pair of ratty running shoes. And her hair...well there was nothing she could do at the moment to make her messy bun look like anything other than bedhead.

"Hey," she greeted him shyly.

He gave her a once over before replying, "Hey." He turned back to Charlie, still thrashing about on the bed. "Can you keep your girly bullshit to a minimum today? I'm trying to study."

"Get out of my life!" She tossed the pillow at him. Jake caught it and let it drop.

"Whatever. Please keep it down," he directed Skylar. She gave a curt nod as he stormed out.

"What did you do to piss him off?" Charlie scoffed at her brother's behavior.

"Me? Nothing, I swear--I mean, I don't think..."

"He's been a Sally-sad-sack ever since Friday." Skylar slapped her forehead and grimaced. Charlie sat straighter. "Oh my God, you did piss him off. What happened? Tell me everything!" She pulled her down by her wrist.

"Well," she began, "I don't think I did anything really, but he did seem in a bad mood when he left."

"Tell me, tell me, tell me," urged Charlie.

"He was fine until I told him I was working there."

Utter realization sparkled in Charlie's big eyes. "I get it," she gloated.

"I don't."

"You made him jealous. No, seriously, I've seen him like this before." She rolled her eyes and flopped back. "One time, in eighth grade, Matt Sprag asked out Sativa Miller and Jake lost his shit. Moped around for a week and got suspended."

"Who is Sativa Miller?" Skylar hadn't heard that name before.

"She graduated last year. Jake used to date her until they decided to take a break over Christmas vacation. That's when Matty asked her out."

"I don't see why he'd be jealous though."

"You know nothing, Skywalker." Charlie swivelled her legs and sat up crossing them. A serious look overcame her usually giddy self. "You guys decided not to date because why?"

"Because my parents move me around a bunch."

"Exactly!" Charlie snapped her fingers. "So in his mind, as soon as you found out that you were staying in Roman Ridge, you two were going to be a thing."

"So he's mad that I didn't run to him to tell him that we could go out?" Skylar snorted at the immaturity.

"Well that, and he thinks that the prince of gore wants to get in your pants." She smiled wickedly. "Oh come on, don't tell me you've never thought about it before. I bet he fucks like a stallion."

A laugh ripped from her throat. "And how exactly does a stallion fuck?"

Charlie's smile dropped, her grave expression taking over once more. "Majestically." They burst into laughter on the bed. "But for real, I need advice. What should I wear? Jet wants to take me out to Two Olives this Friday night. You should come!" Her words must have been as sporadic as her thoughts. Skylar could barely keep up.

"I work on Friday nights now, remember? Four to ten." She groaned at the fact.

"Gross. Every Friday?" She frowned. "Then what do I do?"

Skylar took a deep breath. She went to snoop in Charlie's closet and found a long sleeved sweater dress in taupe. "How about this," she searched around for shoes, "and these?" She pulled up a pair of over the knee boots in a dark brown.

"Skylar, you're amazing!" She hopped up and snatched the outfit. "Okay, I know you have to work and all, but what if I visit you there? In case I get nervous you can talk me off the ledge. I'm sorry, I don't know how to be a human right now. It's just...it's Jet!"

Skylar let her friend rant and rave until she finally collapsed, exhausted. "Talk."

"Huh?" Skylar furrowed her brows.

"I never stop talking. I don't mean to. My dad says I'm obnoxious." They both giggled. "Tell me about Bear."

"What about him?"

"What's he like? Like to talk to? Is he nice or is he a dick? I feel like he's kind of on that fine line between a total asshole and--"

"He's really nice. Actually," she sighed, unsure if she wanted to tell it to anyone but... "he kind of saved me the first time I ever met him." 

Charlie stopped moving. One slender brow quirked up as a smile slowly, meticulously, broke out. "Like Prince Charming?"

Skylar exhaled, glancing out the window just as rain began to trickle down the glass. "If Prince Charming rescued Cinderella from two drunk assholes in an alley."

Her eyes widened. "Wait, what? Explain!"

The rain grew louder and louder, pounding against the window. She bowed her head, chewing her lower lip. "After we met, I was walking to Romulus--"

"Alone? At night? In this shithole town?" Charlie waved her hands about theatrically.

"I know, I know. I was almost there and I got pulled into an alley by these two guys."

"Jesus, Skylar. Are you okay? What happened?" Humor fled from her features. Raw concern now laced every word and crinkle around her eyes.

"I'm fine," she murmured before clearing her throat. "I'm fine," she repeated with more vehemence. "Nothing happened. They tried to...you know, but Bear was there." 

"Wow, seriously? Did he Batman that shit?"

"Pretty much," she laughed. "He had them by the throats at one point. One almost stabbed him." The memory of that first moment came flooding back. The greasy red head and his hands all over her, the cut on her collarbone that had to be disinfected, and Bear...

"He had them by the throats? Both of them? And almost took a knife for you? Dude!" She shoved Skylar's shoulder hard and gave her an incredulous stare.

Skylar shot her arms out to catch herself before she tumbled off the edge of the bed. "What?"

Charlie groaned dramatically and flung her hands up. "How have you not just...why haven't you..." she was at a loss for words, wringing her fists in the air before shouting, "Fuck him!"

Skylar blinked at her friend. "He's a twenty-three year old millionaire that runs his own branch of the CDC. Why would he want to sleep with some eighteen year old public school kid he met in an alley?"

"Saved in an alley," Charlie corrected, grinning.

"Whatever. Either way, there's no way that it's going to happen. He's my boss now, remember?" She shoved the fantasies to the side as she fell into reality. He wouldn't want someone like her. He could have anyone he wanted. He was filthy rich, handsome beyond measure, suave, ambitious...

"Hey, I've seen porn. I know that you can still have sex with your boss," she quipped, nudging her in the ribs. "I think he likes you. And TBH, he's way hotter than my bitchy brother so you have my full enthusiastic blessing to pursue this. I'll help you!" She bounced excitedly.

"No, no, that's not necessary," Skylar begged.

"You're right," Charlie inhaled sharply, "I'm a terrible wingman. I'm too obnoxious." Her eyes lit up suddenly. "T isn't obnoxious! She can totally help you get mauled by Bear!"

"No! No one is getting mauled!" Skylar covered her ears, unable to contain her laughter. The rain still poured, not showing signs of lightening up anytime soon. There was no way in hell she was going to walk home in the cold and the rain, so she sighed as she thought of anything to say that would change the subject. "Hey," her eyes gleamed, "whatever happened to Liam?"

"Who?" Charlie asked, toying with a loose thread on her shirt.

"Your boyfriend? When Jake gave me that ride home after school."

"Oh!" She sat up and waved her hand dismissively. "He wasn't really my boyfriend boyfriend. He was more of a rebound from Tad. And, honestly, he used to be Tad's best friend so it was really more of a date-for-a-week-so-I-could-use-him-for-sex-and-dump-him kind of thing."

"And how did that work out for you?" Skylar smirked.

"Well I got laid." Charlie frowned, searching for another reward and finding none. "I guess that's still a win."